War Department Collection

WORLD WAR I: MARINES, 1918. First to Fight. Posed photograph, 1918, showing U.S. Marines charging onto a beach, issued by the War Department for recruitment purposes during World War I

Tanks being loaded onto Rectank flat wagons, c. 1940
Three tanks are being loaded onto Rectank flat wagons which were designed and built specifically for the movement of military vehicles by rail

Department of State and the Army and Navy, Washington DC, 1882
New building for the Departments of State, Army, and Navy (later called the Executive Office Building), Washington DC, 1882. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Broadside issued by the War Department on 20 April 1865 offering rewards for the apprehension of John Wilkes Booth
LINCOLN ASSASSINATION. Broadside issued by the War Department on 20 April 1865 offering rewards for the apprehension of John Wilkes Booth

Mess, Columbia, between c1915 and c1920. Creator: Bain News Service
Mess, Columbia, between c1915 and c1920.

Seventh Prize Design for the War and Foreign Offices (John Dwyer, Architect): Premium, £100, 1857. Creator: Unknown
Seventh Prize Design for the War and Foreign Offices (John Dwyer, Architect): Premium, £100, 1857. Government buildings in Whitehall, London

Machine Gun Board of War Department - Tracy Dixon, Brig. Gen. Todd, Newton D. Baker... 1917. Creator: Harris & Ewing
Machine Gun Board of War Department - Tracy Dixon, Standing Left; Brig. Gen. Todd, 2nd or 3rd from Left; Newton D. Baker, 4th from Right; Lawrence B. Benet, 3rd from Right; Maj. Gen

War Dept, between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Harris & Ewing. War Dept, between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Harris & Ewing
War Dept, between 1910 and 1920

War Dept, between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Harris & Ewing. War Dept, between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Harris & Ewing
War Dept, between 1910 and 1920

Pembroke-House, Whitehall-Gardens, the Office of the Minister-at-War, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Pembroke-House, Whitehall-Gardens, the Office of the Minister-at-War, 1854. Government buildings in London. The concentration of Government Offices which occupy a portion of the site of the extensive

New Year's Reception At White House - Army officers Leaving War Department For Reception, 1910
New Year's Reception At White House - General View of Army officers Leaving War Department For Reception, 1910

U. S. 0-6-0T shunting tank engine No. 1940 in its black War Department livery, 1942
This is an unusual inclusion in the photographic collection at STEAM, being an image of a U.S. 0-6-0T shunting tank engine which never actually worked the Great Western network

2-8-0 locomotives under construction in AE shop, 1943
In this image, War Department 2-8-0 locomotives are shown under construction in AE shop at Swindon Works in May 1943. In order to meet the demand for locomotives for war work

Dean Goods locomotive No. 2533 in War Department black livery
This official photograph of a Dean Goods locomotive No. 2533 was taken at Swindon Works in October 1939 prior to its shipment overseas

0-6-0 tender locomotive Dean Goods No. 2430 in wartime livery, c. 1939
0-6-0 tender locomotive Dean Goods No.2430 is pictured here in its wartime livery. The tender is painted with the WD for War Department and the engine bears its War Department number, 177

Aisle of Files, Division of War Department, National Archives, Washington DC, 1939 (b/w photo)
3964006 Aisle of Files, Division of War Department, National Archives, Washington DC, 1939 (b/w photo) by Harris & Ewing (1905-45); Private Collection; (add.info.: After processing)

War Department Building at 21st and Virginia Avenue, N. W. Washington, D. C. ca. 1943. Creator: Unknown
War Department Building at 21st and Virginia Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. [Harrys Truman Building, completed in 1941]

1c Franklin War Department special printing single, 1875. Creator: Unknown
1c Franklin War Department special printing single, 1875. In 1875, Post Office Department officials decided to exhibit samples of all previously issued stamps at the Centennial Exposition in

Sakurada Avenue in Tokio, Yashikis of daimios, now occupied by the Foreign Office and War Department (engraving)
6026574 Sakurada Avenue in Tokio, Yashikis of daimios, now occupied by the Foreign Office and War Department (engraving) by American School

Motor cars, Racing cars, and cars for special purposes (b / w photo)
6013697 Motor cars, Racing cars, and cars for special purposes (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Motor cars, Racing cars)

The Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, erected from the Designs of Captain Douglas Galton, assisted... (engraving)
2812234 The Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, erected from the Designs of Captain Douglas Galton, assisted... (engraving) by English School

The New Government Offices at Whitehall, Admiralty and War Department (engraving)
1622734 The New Government Offices at Whitehall, Admiralty and War Department (engraving) by Watkins, Frank (fl.1859-94); Private Collection; (add.info.: The New Government Offices at Whitehall)

The New Office of the War Department (Buckingham House), Pall-Mall (engraving)
1608249 The New Office of the War Department (Buckingham House), Pall-Mall (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Wheeler Survey, Season of 1872, 1872. Creator: William H. Bell
Wheeler Survey, Season of 1872, 1872. [Colorado River Series. Canon of Kanab Wash, Looking South]

Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Mouth of Kanab Wash, looking West, 1872

Limestone Walls, Kanab Wash, Colorado River, 1872. Creator: William H. Bell
Limestone Walls, Kanab Wash, Colorado River, 1872

Canon of Kanab Wash, Looking South, 1872. Creator: William H. Bell
Canon of Kanab Wash, Looking South, 1872. [Colorado River Series]

War department buildings and military college, Bangkok, Siam. Buildings in what is now Thailand

The new office of the war department, Buckingham House, Pall Mall, London, 1855. Print from The Illustrated London News (20 October 1855)

RACECAR: HUDSON SUPER SIX. A Hudson Super Six racecar in front of the State, Navy and War Department in Washington D.C. c1920. Painted on the side is a statement of being the fastest car on record

WORLD WAR I: RECRUITS, 1917. U. S. Army recruits from New York show their enthusiasm
WORLD WAR I: RECRUITS, 1917. U.S. Army recruits from New York show their enthusiasm for a photographer as they travel by train to Fort Upton, Long Island, 19 September 1917. War Department photograph

CIVIL WAR: WAR DEPARTMENT. Group of War Department employees photographed outside the War Department building in Washington, D.C. 1865

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"Preserving History: The War Department's Impact Throughout the Years" From World War I to present day, the War Department has played a crucial role in shaping history. In 1918, Marines stood proud as they became the "First to Fight, " showcasing their unwavering dedication. As tanks were loaded onto Rectank flat wagons in 1940, preparations for war were underway. These powerful machines symbolized the strength and determination of those who fought for freedom. Dating back to 1882, the collaboration between the Department of State and Army and Navy in Washington DC laid the foundation for effective defense strategies. Together, they worked tirelessly to protect our nation's interests. In a somber moment after President Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865, a broadside issued by the War Department offered rewards for capturing John Wilkes Booth and his fellow conspirators. This document serves as a reminder of our commitment to justice even during times of great sorrow. The black livery worn by U. S. Tank engine No. 1940 during World War II represented its service under the War Department's command. It was one among many locomotives constructed with precision at AE shop in 1943, ready to transport troops and supplies across vast distances. Inside Division at National Archives in Washington DC (1939), an aisle filled with files stands as a testament to meticulous record-keeping that ensured historical accuracy amidst chaos. Dean Goods locomotive No. 2533 proudly displayed its wartime colors - another example of how every aspect of transportation contributed towards victory during challenging times like c. 1939. The iconic War Department Building located at 21st and Virginia Avenue N. W. , Washington D. C. , served as headquarters where critical decisions were made throughout World War II (ca. 1943). Its walls witnessed countless discussions that shaped our nation's destiny. Even postage stamps carried significance during moments of conflict.